The invention relates to a method and system for treating, in particular cleaning, disinfecting and/or drying, used, dirty endoscopes, in order to render them suitable once again for subsequent use.
Currently, it is obligatory, between each endoscopic examination, for the endoscope to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. This work is usually carried out outside the room in which the examination takes place. In the process, the endoscope undergoes various treatments and movements. In general, the endoscope follows the following route. After the endoscopic examination in the examination room, the endoscope is transported to a room where the domestic cleaning, disinfecting and drying of the endoscope takes place. If appropriate, the dried endoscope is stored in this room. The endoscope is transported between each treatment. When the endoscope is to be used again, it is transported back to the examination room. It should be noted that the domestic cleaning and drying of the endoscope is sometimes omitted, depending on local regulations and conditions.
Various complications may arise in the process described above. Owing to its shape, the endoscope is not easy to handle during the operations which are to be carried out in the abovementioned process. The endoscope can easily be damaged by impacts, leading to expensive repairs. When the endoscope is picked up and moved after disinfection, the endoscope may easily become unsterile. Furthermore, there is a risk of the xe2x80x9cdirtyxe2x80x9d endoscope unintentionally coming into contact with the environment, with the result that certain locations may be contaminated.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above and to provide a method and system for treating, in particular cleaning, disinfecting and/or drying endoscopes, with which it is possible to work under very hygienic conditions and the risk of damage to the endoscope is minimized.
This object is achieved by means of a method for treating used, dirty endoscopes, in order to render them suitable once again for subsequent use, comprising at least the following steps:
a) placing a used, dirty endoscope in a rack,
b) connecting the passages of the endoscope to a connection block which is arranged in a fixed position in the rack,
c) placing the rack, with the endoscope therein, in at least one device for treating the endoscope, the connection block being connected to a counter-connection block which is present in the treatment device, in order to bring about a connection between the endoscopes and the treatment device,
d) subjecting the endoscope which is accommodated in the rack to a specific treatment in the treatment device,
e) taking the rack with the endoscope therein out of the treatment device, and
f) uncoupling the endoscope from the connection block after it has been taken out of the final treatment device.
This object is also achieved by means of a system for treating used, dirty endoscopes, in order to render them suitable once again for subsequent use, comprising:
at least one rack in which an endoscope can be accommodated, the rack being provided with a fixed connection block to which the passages of an endoscope which is accommodated in the rack can be connected,
one or more treatment devices in which an endoscope which is accommodated in a rack can be subjected to a specific treatment, the treatment device being provided with a counter-connection block which can be connected to the connection block which is arranged in the rack,
an essentially identical connection block being arranged in each rack, and an essentially identical counter-connection block, which can be connected to the connection blocks arranged in the racks, being arranged in each treatment device.
The invention furthermore relates to a rack for accommodating an endoscope, which rack is provided with a connection block which is arranged in a fixed position in the rack and to which the passages of an endoscope accommodated in the rack can be connected.